The American actor Clarence Gilyard Jr., who worked in prominent productions of the decade of the 80 and the years 80, like ‘Die Hard’ or the television series ‘Walker Texas Ranger’, died at the age of 80 after suffering a long illness.
The announcement of his death reached his fans through a message issued by the University of Nevada in Las Vegas, where Gilyard had been a professor of film and theater at the College of Fine Arts since 2006.
In a rich and varied career that spanned nearly five decades, Gilyard achieved success in film, television and on stage. He became known among moviegoers for playing Theo, Hans Gruber’s (Alan Rickman) computer hacker in the film ‘Die Hard’ (1990), by director John McTiernan, which marked the start of Bruce Willis’s career.
In the 1990s 1990, Gilyard was a familiar face on television. He first starred as private detective Conrad McMasters in the crime drama ‘Matlock’ and then, in a career-defining role, took on the role of park ranger James Trivette in the nine-season series ‘Walker, Texas Ranger.’
2006
The son of an air force officer, Gilyard practiced various sports in his youth, from taekwondo even American football. His passion for acting arose after attempting a military career following in his father’s footsteps, although after a year as a cadet he decided to enroll at the University of Kansas, where he graduated in theater, a passion that he later continued at Bethel College in Snowfall.
In various interviews, the actor referred to his facet as a teacher, highlighting the central importance of this activity in his life. The interpreter commented that he enjoyed the exchange with the students, as well as with the new generations of actors and actresses.